Sauna with illuminated ceiling

Abstract

Sauna (1) with an illuminated ceiling (4), characterized in that the ceiling has a relief made of stacked panels (5-15), wherein the individual panels (5-15) are spaced apart from each other, and wherein the relief has at least one cavity (18) in which at least one light source (19) is arranged, such that light emitted by the light source (19) is emitted between the panels (5-15) to the outside into an interior space of the sauna (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sauna with an illuminated ceiling according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] A wide variety of sauna cabin designs are known from current technology. To provide sauna users with a relaxing sauna experience, the sauna is usually atmospherically lit. Indirect lighting is most commonly used. Directly visible light sources on the ceiling should therefore be avoided, as the user's gaze is directed straight at the ceiling when lying on their back. At the same time, it must also be ensured that a pleasant lighting atmosphere is created for the user when they are sitting rather than lying down. Creating pleasant sauna lighting is therefore no easy task.

[0003] Related prior art is known, for example, from DE 32 10 172 A1 and from DE 199 61 320 A1.

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a sauna with an illuminated ceiling that ensures the most pleasant and atmospheric lighting possible in the sauna cabin, while simultaneously creating a glare-free lighting atmosphere that is perceived as comfortable by the sauna user in any lying or sitting position. The illuminated ceiling must also be suitable for the high temperatures prevailing in the sauna.

[0005] The problem is solved by the features of independent claim 1. Accordingly, in a sauna with an illuminated ceiling according to the preamble of independent claim 1, a solution to the problem according to the invention is present if the ceiling has a relief made of stacked plates, wherein the individual plates are spaced apart from each other, and wherein the relief has at least one cavity in which at least one light source is arranged, such that light emitted by the light source is emitted between the plates to the outside into an interior space of the sauna.

[0006] The solution according to the invention offers a particularly pleasant, accentuated yet glare-free lighting atmosphere for the user of the sauna cabin and is also completely unproblematic with regard to temperature resistance.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0008] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edges of the panels are offset from one another in a stepped manner. This creates a particularly attractive ceiling design. At the same time, it results in a particularly advantageous and uniform illumination.

[0009] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, a light-guiding layer is arranged between each of the individual panels, such that light emitted by the light source is directed outwards into the interior of the sauna via the light-guiding layer. In this embodiment, the spaces between the individual panels are thus at least partially filled by light-guiding layers. This embodiment offers the advantage that a much more uniform light distribution is achieved at the light exit between the panels.

[0010] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plates are connected to one another by spacers in such a way that relative movement is permitted between the plates and the light-guiding layers located between them in at least one direction. Since the stacked plates provided according to the invention and the light-guiding layers arranged between them generally have different coefficients of thermal expansion, this embodiment ensures that the light-guiding layers can expand without distortion occurring.

[0011] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plates are each ring-shaped. This creates a visually appealing, stable and at the same time lightweight ceiling construction.

[0012] The individual rings can, of course, be composed of several segments. It should also be emphasized here that "ring-shaped" in the context of this application does not necessarily mean circular. For optimal illumination of the sauna cabin, the individual rings can be distorted in such a way that the ring shape is formed by a rounded inner envelope of a rectangle or a square.

[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light-guiding layer is also ring-shaped. However, the light-guiding layer is preferably composed of several ring segments. The individual segments are arranged so that they can expand when the sauna heats up without warping. For uniform light emission, it is advantageous if the individual ring segments overlap in a circumferential direction of the ring shape.

[0014] With regard to the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the individual plates on the one hand and the light-guiding layers arranged between them on the other, it is further advantageous if the individual ring segments are supported, at least in sections, by means of pins guided in elongated slots, allowing them to float between the plates. Preferably, the elongated slots are formed within the ring segment. The elongated slots can also be described as continuous grooves and preferably extend substantially in the circumferential direction of the ring shape, so that the individual ring segments can expand freely in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, each ring segment is preferably supported at least two times by means of an elongated slot-pin combination. It is particularly recommended to implement the floating support by means of an elongated slot-pin combination at both ends of each ring segment.Suitable pins include, for example, conventional wooden dowels inserted into corresponding holes in the individual plates. Alternatively, the slots can also be formed directly in the plates. In this case, the pins are, for example, press-fitted into corresponding holes in the light-guiding layer.

[0015] The light-guiding layer preferably has a uniform thickness and width. If several light sources are arranged and evenly distributed within the cavity of the relief formed by the stacked plates, a homogeneous light distribution results at the edge of the light-guiding layer visible to the user. However, if elongated holes are formed in the ring segments, inhomogeneities in the light distribution occur at the edges where the elongated holes are located. To compensate for this effect, according to a further embodiment of the present invention, additional elongated holes, distributed along the ring segment, can be formed in the ring segments to ensure uniform light emission.The elongated holes are preferably either evenly spaced or distributed along the ring segment according to a repeating pattern, so that a uniform or homogeneous light distribution is achieved at the edge of the light-guiding layer for the sauna user. Furthermore, the additional elongated holes preferably have the same length as the elongated holes required for the floating mounting of the light-guiding layer. Alternatively, the elongated holes can also be provided with different dimensions according to a repeating pattern.

[0016] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, each ring segment is immovably connected at one point to the plate located below and / or above it. For example, each ring segment can be immovably held in the middle by means of a pin inserted precisely into a corresponding bore or by means of a screw to one of the two plates. More preferably, each ring segment is immovably connected in the middle to the plate located below or above it, with the ring segment being floating at both ends. This embodiment ensures that the ring segments are positioned precisely relative to one another and can still expand longitudinally due to the heat generated during sauna operation. Naturally, it is necessary to provide appropriate gaps between the individual ring segments to prevent warping of the ring segments.

[0017] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the panels are made of wood or a wood-based material. They thus blend harmoniously into the overall appearance of the sauna, since the other sauna equipment is usually also made of wood.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light-guiding layer consists of polycarbonate. This material is particularly suitable for the relatively high temperatures occurring in saunas.

[0019] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edges of the light-guiding layer are ground and polished. This achieves optimal light coupling at the edge of the light-guiding layer facing into the cavity. At the outer edge of the light-guiding layer facing into the interior of the sauna, an optically pleasing light emission is achieved. To further conceal inhomogeneities in the light distribution, the outer edge of the light-guiding layer facing into the interior of the sauna can alternatively be made matte or frosted.

[0020] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, several light sources are provided in the cavity of the relief, distributed to achieve uniform illumination. The light sources are further preferably distributed evenly over the circumference of the ring-shaped plates.

[0021] Visually appealing solutions are achieved when the plates have a thickness ranging from several millimeters to approximately 2 to 4 cm, with the thickness of the light-guiding layer being roughly the same. The thickness of the light-guiding layer is preferably slightly less than the thickness of the plates.

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0023] They show: Fig. 1: A sauna according to the invention in a perspective view looking at the ceiling of the sauna from a low angle, Fig. 2: a cross-section through the ceiling of the sauna according to the invention made of Fig. 1, Fig. 3: a detailed view of the section from Fig. 2, and Fig. 4: a section through the relief of the ceiling along the in Fig. 3. Section line IV.

[0024] In the following explanations, identical parts are designated by the same reference numerals. If a figure contains reference numerals that are not further explained in the corresponding figure description, reference is made to preceding or subsequent figure descriptions.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a sauna 1 according to the invention. For illustrative purposes, only the two side walls 2 and 3 and the ceiling 4 of the sauna, which connects the side walls, are shown. The ceiling 4 has a base plate 5 on which, according to the invention, a relief made of stacked panels 6 to 15 is arranged. The relief forms a dome-shaped elevation with a depression in the center. The individual panels are made of a wood-based material and thus blend harmoniously into the interior design of the sauna.

[0026] As can be seen in particular from the cross-sectional representation in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, plates 5 to 14 are ring-shaped. The edges of the plates are offset from one another, creating a stepped relief structure. The innermost plate, which forms the bottom of the recess, is not ring-shaped but essentially circular. The relief features a cavity 18 in which several light sources 19 are arranged around the circumference of the ring. The light sources 19 are heat-resistant. A lens is positioned in front of each light source, protecting it from splashing water and ensuring that the light is emitted evenly over a wider angular range. Power is supplied via the cables 29 that run through the rest of the ceiling structure.

[0027] In Fig. Figure 3 clearly shows that a light-guiding layer 17 is present between each pair of panels. The light emitted by the light sources 19 is coupled into the light-guiding layer at its inner edge and emitted into the sauna's interior at its outer edge. The edges of the light-guiding layer are therefore ground and polished. The light-guiding layer is also plate-shaped and made of polycarbonate. Since polycarbonate and wood have different coefficients of thermal expansion, the light-guiding layer 17 expands significantly more than the wood-based panels 5 to 15 when the sauna is in operation. In this embodiment, several measures have been taken to prevent warping. As shown in Figure 3, the light-guiding layer 17 expands considerably more than the wood-based panels 5 to 15. Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the plates 5 to 15 are connected to each other via spacers 20 in such a way that relative movement is possible between the plates and the light-guiding layers 17 located between them. The spacers are therefore slightly thicker than the light-guiding layers 17. Screws 16, which extend through corresponding holes in the spacers, ensure a stable connection between the plates.

[0028] Fig. Figure 4 shows a section through the relief along the in Fig.Section IV, shown in Figure 3, reveals that the ring-shaped light-guiding layer 17 is composed of several ring segments 21. To allow for expansion of the individual ring segments 21, they are not butted together but spaced slightly apart. This results in a gap 24 between the ends of the ring segments. The ends of the ring segments are designed such that, viewed in the circumferential direction of the ring shape, the ring segments overlap. Therefore, no visually noticeable interruption occurs between the individual ring segments for the sauna user.

[0029] Each ring segment 21 is held immovably at its center by a pin 27, which extends through a precisely fitting bore in the ring segment and whose ends are received in corresponding bores in the plates above and below. At both ends 22 and 23, the ring segment is floatingly mounted between the plates by means of pins 26 guided in elongated holes 25, thus allowing longitudinal expansion of the ring segment and therefore relative movement with respect to the plates. The elongated holes 25 formed in the ring segment therefore extend essentially in the circumferential direction of the ring shape.

[0030] The gap 24 between the ends of adjacent ring segments, on the one hand, and the elongated holes 25 required for floating support, on the other hand, cause disturbances in the uniform light distribution. To achieve the most homogeneous appearance possible of the user-visible edges of the light-guiding layer 17, further elongated holes 28 are formed along the ring segments 21. These additional elongated holes 28 have essentially the same length as the circumferentially extending sections of the gap 24 and the elongated holes 25 used to support the ring segments.

[0031] The illuminated ceiling according to the invention ensures pleasant lighting of the sauna and also offers the advantage of a particularly attractive appearance. This creates a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere for the sauna user.

[0032] The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment shown. In particular, other relief shapes for the ceiling are possible.

Claims

[1] Sauna (1) with an illuminated ceiling (4), characterized by , that the ceiling has a relief made of stacked panels (5-15), wherein the individual panels (5-15) are spaced apart from each other, and wherein the relief has at least one cavity (18) in which at least one light source (19) is arranged, such that light emitted by the light source (19) is emitted between the panels (5-15) to the outside into an interior space of the sauna (1). [2] Sauna (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the edges of the plates (5-15) are offset from each other in a step-like manner. [3] Sauna (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that a light-guiding layer (17) is arranged between each of the individual plates (5-15) such that light emitted by the light source (19) is emitted outwards into the interior of the sauna (1) via the light-guiding layer (17). [4] Sauna (1) according to claim 3, characterized by, that the plates (5-15) are connected to each other via spacers (20) in such a way that relative movement is permitted between the plates (5-15) and the light guiding layers (17) located between them in at least one direction. [5] Sauna (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the plates (5-15) are each ring-shaped. [6] Sauna (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by , that the light-guiding layer (17) is ring-shaped. [7] Sauna (1) according to claim 6, characterized by , that the light-guiding layer (17) is composed of several ring segments (21). [8] Sauna (1) according to claim 7, characterized by , that the individual ring segments (21) overlap in a circumferential direction of the ring shape. [9] Sauna (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by, that the individual ring segments (21) are at least partially suspended between the plates (5-15) by means of pins (26) guided in elongated holes (25). [10] Sauna (1) according to claim 9, characterized by , that the elongated holes (25) are formed in the ring segments (21), wherein additional elongated holes (28) are formed in the ring segments (21) for uniform light emission, distributed along the ring segment (21). [11] Sauna (1) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by , that each ring segment (21) is immovably connected at one point to the plate (5-15) located below and / or above it. [12] Sauna (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by that the panels (1-15) are made of wood or a wood-based material. [13] Sauna (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 12, characterized by , that the light-guiding layer (17) is made of polycarbonate. [14] Sauna (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 13, characterized by , that edges of the light-guiding layer (17) are ground and polished. [15] Sauna (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by , that several distributed light sources (19) are provided to achieve uniform illumination.

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